Family and Parks Board Seek Way to Replace Beloved ‘Mac’ Dog Sculpture; City to Consult Arts Commission

Joanne Allen, a former Parks Board member, urged the Bothell Parks and Recreation Board to pursue a replacement for a carved wooden dog that once sat at Doug Allen Sports Field and became a local favorite.

The dog, called Mac, was created from a stump by city maintenance worker Mick Mathis and later removed after weather and damage; family members say money previously raised to replace the sculpture — roughly $6,000 — still remains and could be used toward a longer-lasting replacement. Parks and Recreation Director Nick Stroup said staff will bring the item to the city’s arts commission and explore grants and other funding options.

Why it matters: The carved dog served as an informal landmark and play feature for neighborhood children. Replacing it would be a public-art project that intersects volunteer families, city maintenance capacity and funding policy; the Parks Board and family members said they want a solution that will last and be safe for park users.

Board and public comments

Allen described the dog’s history: it was carved into a stump by Mick Mathis after the tree was removed, became popular with schoolchildren and was decorated for holidays, and later deteriorated after its face fell off. "The dog was Mac," Allen said. "Most people around probably don't know the history of the dog anymore." She told the board the family is "open to somehow getting the dog back" but that the existing raised money likely would not cover a metal replacement.

A public commenter representing a local group (identified in the record only as a public commenter) also urged the board to consider city-owned property at the Meridian parcel, which the commenter said the Department of Natural Resources currently owns, as a possible future site for a city dog park. That suggestion was made during the same public-comment period but was not tied to a formal staff recommendation.

Staff response and next steps

Nick Stroup said staff would take the family’s request to the arts commission at its next meeting and also explore the city grants programs. "I can take it to the arts commission. We're meeting next Thursday night. I can take it and just put it on the table and see if we could make some movement there," Stroup told the board.

Board members and the commenter discussed options including casting the existing piece in concrete (a plan that had not succeeded previously), shopping for artists and materials, and contacting the grants commission and culture grants program to identify additional funding. Board members volunteered to bring photos and to attend the arts commission meeting to show support without creating a quorum.

Practical details and context

The family reported about $6,000 raised previously for a replacement and said that amount is "sitting" in a fund. Allen estimated the dog was removed around 2019–2020. Stroup noted the city’s maintenance staff originally carved the dog and said replacing it as a durable public-art installation will require estimating materials, artist fees and any ongoing maintenance. He recommended involving the arts commission to identify artists who might donate labor or propose lower-cost materials, and to consider the grants commission as a funding source.

Staff also flagged permitting and material choices as cost drivers; board discussion noted a metal sculpture would likely cost far more than the funds on hand. Board members suggested starting with estimates and artist outreach before making a funding decision.

Ending

Board members agreed there was a path forward: staff will present the idea to the arts commission at its next meeting and update the Parks Board. Family members and at least one board member indicated willingness to meet the arts commission and to provide photos and background for an arts- or grants-driven project.